Automatic stop for motion-picture machines



D. 8.. REID AUTOMATiC STOP FOR MOTION PICTURE MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAYH. 1921.

. 19,759. Patented June 13,1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Wig-.1.

' WITNESS. ATTORNEY D. S. REID.

AUTOMATIC STOP FOR MOTION PICTURE MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL SANFORD-REID, or sIn'unIA, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF 'ro WILLrAM F. s'rnown, or SILURIA, ALABAMA.

AUTOMATIC STOP FOR MOTION-1IC'1URE'MACHINES.

To all whom it may concern Be' it known that I, DANIEL SANFORD Rnm, a citizen of the United States, residing at S1luria,'in the county of Shelby and State of Alabama, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Automatic Stops for Motion-Picture Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to control devices formotion picture'machines, particularly to automatic stops therefor, and has for its object the provision of a novel device which will be operated automatically in case of breaking of the film whereby to cut off the motor which drives the film reeling mecha- IllSIIl and also to cut off the control switch leading to the light within the lamp house I or lamp box.

An important object is the provision of a control device of this character-which includes a novel switch structure for controlling the two circuits, the one circuitto the lamp house and the other to the operating motor, both circuits being cut oflt simultaneously in the event of breaking of the film.

A furtherj object vice of this characterincluding amovable member which normally engages the film during the travel of the latter and which is, spring the film so as to actuate the control switch above mentioned.

-more fully described and claimed and illustnated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a side elevation of my device, posltioned upon a motion picture mach1ne,. Figure 2 1s a plan view of the devlce,

Figure 3 is a sectional control switch,

Figure 4 is a section at right angles to Figure 3, 1

view through the isthe provision of 'a depressed in the event of breaking of Specification of Letters Patent. Patented une 13, 1922.

Application filed May 17,

1921. s ial No. 470,384.

Figure 5. is a viewsimilar to Figure 3 showing the switch in circuit breaking posltiton,

'igure 6 is a detail view of a latch device, an a a Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the letter A designates-broadly the motion picture machine having the usual reeling mechanism, not shown, which serves to move along the strip of film B in association with the projector C. The letter D designates the lamp house or lamp box within which is an electric illuminating means D of the ordinary type. i The letter E designates the motor which operates the reeling mechanism. The letter F designates a transformer of the usual type from which lead wires G which ordinarily conduct current to the electric lamp devices within the lamp house D. The feed wires to the electric motor are designated by the letter H and I designates a control switch for controlling the current to the motor E'.

In carrying-out.my invention I provide a. guide bracket 10 secured upon one side of the machine A by any suitable means and at any desired location found convenient, one Qend 'of this bracket 10 being. free and formed with-a slogt 11 and the other end ing upturned to provide a support, as indicated at 12. Movable along the slot 11 is an elongated lever 13 which has its upper end carrying .a roller 14 bearing against the forward side of the film strip B. The nu- 'meral .15 designates a coil spring which is connected at one end with the lever above the bracket and which has its other end connected with a hook 16 which extends through the upright support 12 and which has a threaded shank 17 carrying an adjustlng nut 18. By meansof this adjustable connect on it will be seen that thetension of the spring may be varied so asto regulate the spring in order that it willnot have a greater tens onthan the tension of the film strip passing through the reeling mechanism.

In connection with the above described parts, I provide a switch device located at one side of the casing or' machine A and this switch device includes a stationary cyl1n .sion upon the film strip will hold illuminating device,

drical casing 19 carrying a plurality of contacts 20 and 21 with which are connected the wires G and H, respectively. Disposed within this stationary casing 19 is a rotary spider-like element 22. This 'casing'also carries contacts 23 and 24 which are opposite the contacts 20 and 21, respectively. The member 22 carries elements 22 and 22- adapted to connect the contacts 20 and23,

and 21 and 24, respectively. Connected with the contacts 23 are wires 25 which lead'to" the electric lamp D within the lamp house D, and connected with the contacts 24 are wires 26 which lead to the switch I which is in turn connected with the motor E. The movable element 22 is carried upon a shaft 27 upon the free end of which is secured the lower end of thelever 13'. The numeral 28 designates a suitable switch interposed in the wires 25.

The operation of the device is as follows Under ordinary conditions, that is when the film B is running through the reeling mechanism in a normal condltion, the tenthe lever 13' in normal position'at the forward end of the slot 11 with the 5 ring 15 held under tension. At this time t e rotary element 22,. of the control switch device is in such position that the elements 22 and 22" engage with the contacts 20 and 23, and the convtacts 21 and 24-respectively, and the motor E for driving the reeling mechanism and the within the lamp house Dare both energized.

In the event that the strip of film B should break and the tension upon the roller 14 is consequently relieved, itwill be apparent thatthelspring" 15 will operate to.

swing the lever 13 rearwardly and this will result in rocking of the shaft 27 and rotary member 22- and this will of course result in breaking the engagement of the elements 22 and 22" with the contacts 20 and 23 and 21 and 24. The instant that this occurs it will be apparent that the'motor E and the illuminating device within the lamp house D will both be deenergized so that the entiremotion picture machine will cease to operate.

Associated with the :lever 13 is a suitably pivoted hookBO which is engageable wit the lever for holding the latter inactive when Wlth the that the lever will not move. It is intended the operator desires to .rethread the prov fleeting machine after. the strip of filmhas- 55 11 broken and the stop :mechanism has been operated. When the hookis engaged lever 13 it willbe readily apparent that the 'o erator should disengage the hookj from the ever when the rethreading of the machine is accomplished, .but in case the operatorrshould forget to release it, it is study chme, a lever movable throng bracket and carrying up the tension of the film over the forwardly to a sli hook 30 will gravitationally drop and dis-. engage itself from the lever 13.

. mm the foregoing description and a of the drawin it will be apparent that I have thus provided a very simp econstructed and consequently lnexpensive auto matic stop mechanism which may be easily clently to sto the motion icture machine iii event of brea ing of the fi m.

' While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is of course to be readily understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from-the spirit of the invention or the $00 of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with the electric illuminating device and the 0 rating motor of the reeling'mechanism o a motion picture machine; an automatic stop device comprising a guide bracket secured u on the maa roller normally en: strip of film passing mechanism, spring tension applied to 'sai lever, the tension of the film being greater than the tension of the spring whereby to hold the lever in normal position, and a switch mechanism 0 ratively connected with the other end 0 said gaging against the through the reelin lever and adapted to be operated by movementof the latter, said switch mechanism inclu din a set of contacts connected witha source 0 current and with the illuminating device, a secondset of contacts connecte with a separatesource of current and connected with the motor for actuating the film winding mechanism, sets of contacts movably mounted and simultancously engageable with the first and second named contacts respectively.

2. An automatic stop mechanism for motion picture machines, comprisin a slotted guide bracket secured pi ture machine, a leverslidable along said racket andcarryinga rollerenga ing a strip of film passin through the racing mechanism of the mac me, adjustable spring v tension on said lever whereby to hold'the same firmly .in enga the tension 0 thanthe tension of thestrip of moving film,

ment,

NIEL sa-NFoR ID.

applied or installed and which operates very e the guide.

and third and fourth" upon the si e of a 'mo-' ement with thestrip of said spring being less a switchdev ce including a stationary ele- 'j two sets of contacts carried by. said element and, connected with "separate sources of-"current, and a movable element carryin two sets of contacts engageable with said stationary contacts."

. apparentthat whenthemachine is started ature. 

